{Book Review} Five Poisoned Apples

 

A TALE SO DARK AND LOVELY

Falling Snow: The strange dark circus is the only life she’s ever known—but is Snow a performer or a prisoner?
Raven’s Heir: Taking her in could risk the lives of his rebel band—but how can Damien leave the young woman at the huntsman’s mercy?
The Fairest One: Her people look for the prophesied Fairest One—but can Livna find courage to step out of the shadows and save her nation?
Red as Blood: He’s been hired to assassinate the princess, no questions asked—but how can Zaig take the life of one so young, so innocent?
Snowbird and the Red Slippers: She longs to be worthy of the scholarship that changed her life—but can Jeong Hayan survive the bitter rivalry of a prestigious New York dance school?

Experience the haunting beauty of Snow White in five thrilling retellings.

AMAZON | GOODREADS | PUBLISHER'S WEBSITE

HERE IT IS. AT LAST. The fourth and final fairytale collection from Rooglewood Press! And what a collection to end with! I’ve been waiting foreverrr for this one, and it is finally here and is gorgeous and I’ve read it and loved it and YES. I simply adore these anthologies and am so sad they’re over, but AWK. They’re just so beautiful.

My reviews for previous collections:

(Except I still haven’t read Five Magic Spindles yet. Ooops!)

This collection really has something for everyone. Snow White has never really been one of my favorite fairytales, but these authors made me love it as they took the beautifully dark tale and reimagined it in such unique, beautiful ways.

FALLING SNOW
by Skye Hoffert

When I got word that this was one of the stories chosen for the collection, saying I was excited is an understatement. I was SCREAMING. I’m still screaming!

Skye is not only one of the most precious people on this earth, she’s also a dear internet friend of mine. I got to beta-read this story in its early days and fell. in. love. I was not surprised a bit it got chosen. IT IS BRILLIANCE. And it’s surreal having my Skye published. SO PROUD.

 

AND THIS STORY, GUYS.

If you're looking for a gritty circus setting, snappy writing, electric characters, a plot that keeps your adrenaline rushing as fast as Snow's on the tightrope, and a brilliantly unique take on Snow White, this is it! I could seriously fangirl about this novella for days.

This story involves a creepy circus run by magical fae and just YES PLEASE.

I honest to goodness adored every single aspect of this story. The writing is quick and snappy and transports you so perfectly into the tale, you forget you're even reading. Not once did I have to pause to try to imagine the setting, but there were no over-the-top descriptions to be found. In a mere sentence or even a single word, this author managed to paint a perfect picture of the surroundings, the actions of the characters, even the tone, and tug at your heartstrings or quicken your heartbeat while she was at it. Then there was the fascinating plot that took the elements of the original Snow White story and flipped them on their head in such an original way. And the pacing was perfection.

But the true gold of this story is the CHARACTERS. Snow is broken and soft, yet absolutely feisty when she needed to be. This girl made my heart swell. I just wanted to hug her okay? Then there's Chayse, our male lead, who made my heart ache over all the burdens he bore and decisions he had to make. I don't want to say too much about him and spoil things but, trust me, you're going to fall in love. And last but deeefinitely not least is Cynfael. Ah, Cyn. Our charming scoundrel who keeps you on your toes from the moment he enters the pages. If for no other reason, read this story for Cynfael. You'll thank me later. Oh, and we can't forget the villain, the evil queen herself, who made my skin crawl. Just what you want in a fairytale!

Skye Hoffert is a word genius and captured me from page one with this brilliant tale.

I'd honestly purchase this anthology for this story alone. It was, without a doubt, my favorite of the collection.

Content Cautions
There was quite a lot of drinking and smoking, and it seems like some of the characters use a bit of crude language. It really fit the gritty setting and brought it to life, so I didn’t mind. But do be warned if that’s not your thing.

 

RAVEN’S HEIR
by Jenelle Hovde

This one had such a beautiful writing style. It felt both historical and fairytale-like, at the same time, which was lovely.

There’s always one story in these collections that follows the closest to the original fairytale, and Raven’s Heir was that one for this anthology. But it took the events of the Snow White story and placed them in a rich, historical setting. Technically, it’s in a fantasy world, but you could tell this author knows her history, and it came out beautifully in the story.

The plot didn’t enrapture me quite as much with this one, as most of it was about the characters traveling, and then the ending was a little rushed. BUT our villain with her use of magic gave me chills (always the goal with a villain, especially when she’s the evil queen!) and Damien and Kara, our hero and heroine, were so kind and selfless, and their romance was one of the sweetest I’ve ever read. They were PRECIOUS! Also, the “dwarves” as a band of outlaws was clever, and had a very Robin Hoodish vibe which is ALWAYS a plus in my book.

Though a bit slow, the intriguing villain, sweet characters, and rich setting definitely made this a worthwhile read!

Content Cautions
The villainess in this one uses some pretty dark magic, that involves chilling spirits. But the magic is definitely shown in a bad light.

 

THE FAIREST ONE
by Cortney Manning

*clutches heart* What an epic, sweeping tale! I’m not always the biggest fan of novellas because I never feel like there’s enough time to truly get to know the characters. Or the story is just too simple and straight forward. Well Cortney Manning threw that belief out the window.

The Fairest One feels like a great epic, in the span of just a few chapters. I don’t know how she did it but wow! The  rich Middle/Near Eastern-type world comes alive in this one. Seriously, I just wanted to crawl into the storyworld (and I loved how it wasn’t your average medieval European setting too!). Livna, our heroine, was a sweet cinnamon roll who just wanted her father’s love and attention and to see her land safe. It was a delight seeing her grow and find her courage to stand up for her people. I felt for her SO MUCH, and was sad when the story was over, because I already miss her.

And the way the dwarves were portrayed. YES. Magical beings, and slaves to the “evil queen” character. So much originality there! One of the main characters, Oren, is a dwarf himself, and grumpy and sarcastic and totally great. All the characters really popped off the pages.

I loved how unique this one was, while also, somehow, staying so true to the original Snow White story. The twists this author put on Snow White were pure genius, and there was even a hint of Cinderella vibes going on which I loved. The stakes were HIGH in this one, and then the PLOT TWIST. Whoa. I was not expecting it.

Everything about this story was beautiful and brilliant and I loved every single word.

Content Cautions
Other than some heart-pounding high-stakes, I don’t recall there being anything to worry about with this one? Lots of magic, but that’s to be expected with a Snow White collection.

 

RED AS BLOOD
by Maddie Morrow

This one may be my favorite after Falling Snow! (Though The Fairest One is fighting for second place as well.) Which is something because, erm, it involves vampires??? Nooottt my favorite subject. But but but THIS STORY!

The tale follows Zaig, an assassin, who is told by the queen herself to assassinate the princess, no questions ask. Well, you can imagine how well that goes.

It’s set in a gritty, Victorian-era-esque setting and oooooh it was deliciously chilling. I really enjoyed how the whole story was in the Huntsman’s POV and BE STILL MY BEATING HEART. Zaig was such an epic protagonist, I can’t even. His inner struggles felt so REAL, and he had a dash of snark to go with his charm. The perfect combination! All the side characters were just as intriguing as well.

Then the PLOT. Just wow. Part mystery, part thriller, part fairytale—this one had it all. I was hooked, and refused to put the book down until I had made it to the end. It surprised me in so many ways, and had my heart pumping from page one to the end.

Even if you’re not into vampires (I’m with you) still give this one a read! The writing style is beautiful, the characters come alive, and the twists are epic. Good grief, I loved it so much!

Content Cautions
This one involves vampires so…it gets bloody. Very bloody, especially near the end. It’s also just pretty dark all the way around. If you’re squeamish, do be warned!

 

SNOWBIRD AND THE RED SLIPPERS
by Rachael Wallen

For the final novella, we take a bit of a different turn, as it’s a contemporary. BUT, it does have a hint of magical realism to it, which was fun.

This follows Snowbird, or Jeong Hayan, her real name, as she takes on a scholarship in a New York dance school. Though I’ve never been part of the ballet world, I’ve LOVED watching ballet since I was teeny tiny, so I was excited about a setting in a ballet school.

I 100% understand why this won a place in the collection. This author’s writing is astounding. With that said…it wasn’t my favorite. I have so many thoughts on this little story, that I don’t know if I can put into words.

My biggest dislikes were that I was just confused all the way through. I think it was the shortest of the collection, not giving us much time to really grasp everything going on, or to get to know the characters as well as we liked. Not only that, but almost the majority of the book is told, and so much of it talks about ballet and the scholarship and, since I’ve never been part of that world, I didn’t really get what all was going on. It’s so loaded with telling and lush descriptions, I felt like the plot got set on the backburner. Which is sad, because WHOA. This was a unique story, let me tell you!

At first, it doesn’t seem like a Snow White retelling at all, but THEN it ended up having more Snow White elements than all the others, including things involving ribbon and a comb, which people tend to skip over in Snow White retellings. Yet it also seemed to be much more heavily a retelling of a fairytale called The Red Shoes. Which I was perfectly fine with. Huzzah for retellings of obscure fairytales! But the Snow White elements are still there. In fact, Snow White and The Red Shoes have a couple of similar plot threads at the end, so I totally see why this author combined them. It worked perfectly! (Sorry, fairytale nerd. XD)

As I mentioned earlier, this author’s style is so rich and beautiful and unique, I definitely believe she deserved a spot in this collection. I think many people will LOVE this story, even though the style didn’t click with me. Despite that, it was the type of story that stayed with me long after I had finished. It was both beautiful and chilling, dark but thoughtful, and original all around. It’s the type of story you really just have to experience for yourself, and I definitely recommend doing so!

Content Cautions
This story was just…chilling. The original The Red Shoes story (or Snow White for that matter) is, erm, not exactly a happy, fluffy tale, and neither is this one. I liked the whole unnerving chill surrounding the story. It added a heart-stopping mystery to the whole thing. But if you’re expecting some fluffy contemporary fairytale retelling then…you’re going to be surprised. That’s all I’ll say. XD

Overall, I found this an absolutely wonderful collection to end these anthologies with. I’m so sad the excitement of the contests is over and that we won’t be getting new, beautiful fairytale anthologies every year anymore, but it’s been wonderful while it’s lasted!

CONCLUSION
With a wide range of settings, plots, and protagonists, this really does have something for all the types of fairytale-lovers. I was enraptured by each unique story, loved seeing the utter originality put into reimagining Snow White, and am so glad I gave this a read!

Because any anthology with Falling Snow, The Fairest One, and Red as Blood deserves five stars. But Raven’s Heir and Snowbird and the Red Slippers were worth the read as well!

 

TALK WITH ME!

Have you read this collection? BECAUSE I NEED TO FANGIRL. If you have, which story was your favorite? If you haven’t, which one appeals to you the most? And who’s sad the Rooglewood Fairytale Contests are over??? *sniff, sniff* It’s been such a good time!

My Top 5 Books and Movies of 2018

It is never too late for lists, right? Because…like, since I took a break from blogging at the end of the year, I didn’t do all those fun year-end list posts everybody and their pet chinchillas were doing. Soooo I thought I’d just do them NOW. Because LISTS.

If I had to sum my life up it’d be: Writing, reading, and watching movies. (Geek, anyone?) Since I talk about my writing probably more than I should here, I thought today I’d switch over to my other two favorite subjects and list my top five favorite reads and movies watched in 2018! These weren’t necessarily movies and books that came out in 2018 (though some are), but MY first time reading/watching them.

NOTE: I’m revealing no big spoilers in this post. So if you haven’t read/seen some of these, DON’T WORRY. You should be safe. :)

Let the geeky-dom begin!

TOP 5 BOOKS OF 2018

Okay, so actually choosing my 5 favorite reads was SO HARD. I honest to goodness loved almost everything I read last year. Which is a miracle. It was a good reading year! I really don’t even know if these were my top faves (decision ACK), but they were definitely some of my tippity top favorites!

In order of when I read them…

WIRES AND NERVE
by Marissa Meyer

A GIFT TO US LUNARTICS.

Wires and Nerve is a graphic novel that follows The Lunar Chronicles (only one of my most favorite series EVER). And this time Iko is the star. Yessss.

The plot is pretty simplistic. Not a lot happens, and there’s some random scenes that seemed to be there just to feature members of the Rampion Crew. But honestly? I DIDN’T CARE. I think the point was just to delight the fans in visiting their beloved characters again. And it succeeded! I was squealing each time a new one appeared. Plus having a whole story set in Iko’s hilarious POV this time was a DELIGHT.

It’s definitely one you’re going to want to pickup after reading The Lunar Chronicles. Otherwise it’ll make nooo sense and spoil, erm, EVERYTHING. But if you’re a “Lunartic” like me YOU NEED DIS.

Also, I can’t decide if I liked the first volume or second (Wires and Nerve: Gone Rogue) better. THEY WERE BOTH SO GOOD. But it’s really just one story anyway, you can’t really have on without the other, so let’s just go with both!

 

SHADOW HAND
by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Can we just talk about how shameful it is that I’ve yet to read all the Tales of Goldstone Wood books yet, being as how I’ve been reading them since their creation??? Why is it taking me actual YEARS to get through what is one of my most favorite series? I DON’T KNOW. I think I’m subconsciously savoring them. They’ve been such a big part of my life and I don’t want them to ennndddd! D:

ANYWAYS.

Shadow Hand. Wow. It reminded me why I love these books so very much. Mrs. Stengl’s writing is breathtaking. Like…I have no words. And THIS BOOK. It was, without a doubt, the most complex, convoluted of all the stories so far (which is saying something) and I LOVED IT. The story was rich and full and had sooo many things going on but then it all came together in the end and just I don’t know how she does it.

This one follows Daylily and Foxbrush, whom we met in Veiled Rose (still my favorite of the series!), and whom were always, erm, somewhat unsavory characters. I was very curious how having characters who before had been portrayed as antagonists of a sort would work as protagonists. WELL. I should have had more faith in Mrs. Stengl. No spoilers here but…it was brilliance. Every word. Her stories are like devouring your favorite dessert. Rich and delicious and filling. I’m so in love with this series. <3

 

FAWKES
by Nadine Brandes

You may have heard of this one. Being as how it’s pretty much all anyone was talking about all last year. AND WITH GOOD REASON.

This is a historical fantasy (such a cool genre!) about The Gunpowder Plot. Not only does it have real life historical events in it, but it tosses in FANTASY THINGS. Yessss to alternate history pleaseandthankyou.

Our teenage protagonist, Thomas Fawkes (son of the Guy Fawkes), is determined to learn color magic and be accepted by his father. WELL. When his father pulls him into a plot to kill the king, things get…messy.

The entire world revolves around “color” magic, which is when a person can basically use telekinesis to move any object of the color of mask he/she owns. So, like, if you have red color magic, and wear a mask, you can move any object the color red. SO UNIQUE RIGHT? It’s a bit more complicated than that, but I don’t want to give too much away. There’s also a plague going around which turns a person to STONE. So, ya know, fun stuff.

What really captured me with this novel was how well-though-out and poignant it was written. You really felt like you were in foggy London, and knew the characters. Thomas was a precious cinnamon roll and such a teenager. The heroine, Emma, managed to be strong but feminine at the same time (totally breaking the emotionless “strong female character” stereotypes). And each side character had their own personalities and agendas. I was so swept away with this world.

Then the PLOT. So many twists. So. Many. Twists. GAH. I loved it! Oh, and feels. Feels eeeeverywhere. Gotta love a book that stomps your heart and kicks it in the ocean. FUN STUFF!

My one qualm was the allegorical part felt a bit…weird. It portrayed a sort of God-figure, but in a very…unexpected way. I wasn’t sure I liked it. But, at the same time, the story was full of beautiful messages and made me THINK, which I always love.

Overall, I thought it was amazing and well deserved of the hype.

 

THE HOUND OF DUVILLE
by Kyle Robert Shultz

BE STILL MY BEAUMONT AND BEASLEY LOVING HEART.

I won’t say too much about this one, because I already did a whole review for it just a few months ago. BUT. Definitely, definitely one of my favorite 2018 reads.

This is a novella following the Beaumont and Beasley series (MY FAAAVE!!!). It definitely needs to be read after the first main 3 Beaumont and Beasley books, but if you have read them you MUST get this one in your life! It harked back to the first book, following Nick and Crispin, as they try to discover a hilarious curse sweeping through Talesend. The brotherly banter (NICK AND CRISPIN MY BOYS <3), the humor, the side-splitting references to a couple of well-known movies, the whole hilarious curse. It was perfection!

Until the end which destroyed my heart and soul but YA KNOW. I apparently enjoy books ripping out my feels SO.

BUT YES. I adored this little story so so so much, and just talking about it is making me want to reread it!

 

HARRY POTTER AND
THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
by J.K. Rowling

I mentioned recently that I read the Harry Potter series for the first time in 2018 annnnnd I fear I’m becoming one of those people who now makes an HP reference like every other sentence. I’M SORRY. The hype is real!

Though I loved every. single. book. The Prisoner of Azkaban was my faaave! (With Goblet of Fire coming at a very close second.) Things really start to pickup, the characters are growing but still young and foolish and adorable, Lupin is introduced (LOVE HIM!), Sirius, too, enters the picture, and then THE ENDING. The whole plot twist and craziness that erupts in those last few chapters was eeeeverything. It was so twisty and epic and GAH. YESSSHHH.

But also can I cheat and just put the whole Harry Potter series here? Because it was definitely my favorite read of all of 2018. I had such a wonderful time entering the Wizarding World! And now that I’m here…I’m never leaving! Bwahahaha.

And there we have my top-ish reads of 2018! But, seriously, I loved practically every book I read. You can see all my 2018-reads on my GoodReads shelf HERE. Because we bookdragons are inherently nosy. *grins*

 

TOP 5 MOVIES OF 2018

I’m only going to be listing movies that were new to me, and not rewatches because then we’d be here alllll day. Heh. (I just really like movies!)

Once again, in order of when I watched them (I think)…

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

So yes, I saw this for the first time in April and AAAHHHHHH!!!!! What brilliance did my eyes just behold?

Confession: I’m not a big musical person. I KNOW. You may disown me, no hard feelings. (Okay, maybe a few.) Musicals just…aren’t my thing. So when I saw the huge hype for this movie I was just like, “Meh. I don’t think I’m interested.”

Let’s just say my friends kidnapped me and forced me to watch it, insisting I’m going to enjoy it (as good friends do). And…I had to eat my words. All of them. The opening got my heart thrumming, I think I didn’t blink for the entirety of the movie, it took my breath away, and when they asked me which was my favorite song when it was over I was like, “ALL OF THEM!” Yep. I enjoyed a musical. More than that, I LOVED a musical.

But wow, this movie. It truly captured that sense of wonder that I haven’t seen in cinema for a long, long time. The story was beautiful, the characters were alive, the chorography was astounding, and the songs are something I now keep on repeat on a constant basis. It’s honest to goodness one of my top favorite movies now.

So yeah, words were eaten.

 

INFINITY WAR

Was this my favorite or least favorite movie of the year? I DON’T KNOW. I do know it ripped out every feel I’ve ever had and turned it to ash so THANKS, MARVEL.

But, at the same time, getting to see all the heroes we’ve been following for TEN YEARS (yeah, I’ve been a Marvel fan since the first Iron Man movie #geek) come together in one movie was a TREAT. I wasn’t sure how they’d handle having so many main characters, but they did it brilliantly. (Though the lack of Bucky scenes was an atrocity! *cough, cough*) I also felt like they did well bringing together all the different styles of the movies. When the Guardians were on camera, it felt like a Guardians of the Galaxy movie. During Steve’s scenes, it felt like a Captain American movie. Tony definitely brought his Iron Man style with him. Etc., etc. It was great!

It wasn’t a perfect movie. I have complaints. But overall I LOVED it. …Or hated it. I DON’T KNOW. UGH. FEELS.

 

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP

Look at that, another Marvel movie. Is anyone surprised???

After Infinity War gobbled up my heart and spit it out, I was very much looking forward to a more lighthearted movie. Ant-man was such a hilarious movie, and I couldn’t wait for this sequel. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. It held up perfectly to the first movie. If anything, it was even better!

The humor was just as gold, the villain was fascinating, Scott was as loveable as ever. I absolutely loved it! Definitely refreshing after the heart-stomping cruelty of Infinity War.

Were just not going to talk about the post-credits scene.

 

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN

OH, MY HEART.

Okay, so Winnie-the-Pooh is my EVERYTHING. The Hundred Acre Wood was my childhood home. I watched the Disney movie on repeat like…daily. I had stuffed animals of the characters. I even watched the Disney show of it. I still get thrills when I’m exposed to anything Winnie-the-Pooh related. It’s my comfort zone. My happy place. My home.

So when I heard that they were making a movie about an adult Christopher Robin my first reaction was…huh. (I’m such a deep thinker.) I didn’t know if to be excited or worried. On the one hand, it was a very interesting concept and looked cute. But on the other hand, WHAT IF THEY RUINED MY BELOVED CLASSIC???

Well. WELL. I should have had more faith in Disney. This movie was everything. I cried the second the opening credits came on. I wish I was joking but NOPE. The opening scene showing the map of my dear Hundred Acre Wood, and the sweet scene taken directly from the book of young Christopher Robin and Pooh had me bawling. And from there I was just a tearful mess.

Because they didn’t ruin my childhood home, they brought it to LIFE. I felt like I was Christopher Robin, now an adult, letting the world weigh on my shoulders, only to step back into my childhood home and relive all those happy memories.

When I was little, I never really played with dolls much. I played with stuffed animals (like, seriously, my stuffed animal collection was ridiculous). I always felt a special kinship to Christopher Robin, because his form of play was always my form of play. His stuffed animals and quaint little secret world. That was me.

So having Disney bring that world to life, with respect and charm and heart, was everything I didn’t know I needed.

 

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

Oh look! More Harry Potter things!

Though the Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite book, The Goblet of Fire was definitely my favorite movie. I felt like it brought the fun charm of the books to life more-so than any of the other movies did, while also piling a bucket of feels on top of you…just like the book.

My sister and I watched it together and we were giggling uncontrollably through the first half of it, then sobbing relentlessly by the last half. So yep. It was perfect!

(Also David Tennant, guys. DAVID TENNANT!)

Although, I have to say, I was shocked how well all the movies followed the books. Like…I was not expecting them to be so true to the books. Especially not all eight movies! There were definitely things they skipped but…they only had so much room, so I can forgive them. I certainly had some qualms (I wouldn’t be a true bookworm if I didn’t), but, overall, I was extremely pleased with the movies! (But we’re not here to talk about my HP opinions are we? Maybe one day I’ll do a whole HP post and give you allllll the opinions from me you never wanted. BWAHAHAHA!)

OKAY. I will spare you of exposure to yet more of my geekiness (for now). But, overall, 2018 proved to be a fantastic year for books AND movies!

Can’t wait to see what all geekery I can get myself into this year!

 

TALK WITH ME!

Fangirl/boy tiiiime! What was YOUR favorite book and movie devoured in 2018??? I MUST KNOW. And have you read/watched any of these? Because you know I will happily flail over them with you!